P-51 Mustang vs P-47 Thunderbolt: Best US fighter in Europe?

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[richardmontana]

Talk about "wing technolgy". A pilot on a P-47 sortie who had not fired a shot still with his full load of ammo took a large caliber cannon shell coming from the ground and ignited every round in the right wing even blowing the ammo tray doors up and all jagged. Yet, the wing stayed on and he made it back to base with the gear even coming down. Thats the glory of the "Thunderbolt". Unmatched!

[williamashbless]

Nicely done.

A serious thought for consideration:
The P-47 was in combat a year before the P-51 and had the unenviable task of going up against the Luftwaffe’s best pilots with inexperienced pilots.
A year later, Luftwaffe pilot quality was decreased while American pilots were better experienced when Mustang took over.

The P-47 was complex and expensive, the P-51 much less so.

And, the biggest advantage for me is this:
All top ten Aces who flew P-47’s survived the war. What other plane can boast of that record?

[prun]

My grandad flew both in Europe. He said he'd rather go up in a of his desire to stay alive. He stayed alive until 1988.

[ablebravo]

The P-47 is perhaps the most masculine fighter aircraft in history. A huge radial engine with a turbo, heavy armor, and heavy armament, with rugged ground handling offering high flexibility for operational use.

I love both of these aircraft, but while the P-51 is beautiful because of its graceful, attractive lines in the same way an ocean liner (not a cruise liner, mind you) is beautiful, the P-47 is beautiful in the tough, functional way that an oil tanker is also beautiful.

I don't have a preference for either aircraft, just stating that as each one exceeded the other in particular roles, they're also beautiful in different ways.

[SpreadEagled]

While other squadrons transitioned from P-47s to P-51s, the fighter squadrons of the 56th Fighter Group were the only group that chose to retain their P-47s by preference over the P-51s,

[johncurtis]

Give me the P-47 Thunderbolt every day of the week. Huge, sexy as hell, armored like a tank with tremendous firepower and more versatile than the Mustang.

[arthurjennings]

Excellent content. You pointed out that the P47 and P51 were not adversaries but, in fact, were allies. Each very good at their job. They were both needed as weapons of war.

[axialcompressorturbojet]

Excellent video once again. Seeing 2 of some of some of my favorite World War 2 Aircraft being compared so thoroughly was fantastic. I did imagine that the nimble P-51 would win out against the rather bulky P-47 at the beginning of the video, but surprisingly, the Thunderbolt fulfilled many fighter and even bomber roles spectacularly and fulfilled the latter role, even better than the Mustang. The incredible quality of videos coming from this rather small, yet rapidly growing channel, never ceases to amaze me.
Keep up the good work.

[kflanders]

Each excelled in their roles, and they're both beautiful!

[Splattle]

The difference in kill ratios between Europe and the Pacific can be partly explained by the relative performance of Axis planes. The main German fighters had top speeds around 400 mph. The most numerous Japanese Army and Navy fighters had top speeds ~ 350 mph. American fighters thus enjoyed a significant speed advantage in the Pacific, where a properly trained pilot would be able to convert their 40-70 mph speed advantage into positional advantage (provided they weren't taken by surprise). This also helps explain the success of the P-38 in the Pacific, in contrast to its very mixed record against German fighters.

In addition, by 1944 the USN fighters were able to operate in large numbers as part of very dense air defense systems over USN taskforces. They thus enjoyed the advantages that accrue to the defense, including huge force-multiplying advantages of radar and radar-guided interception. In contrast, fighters flying bomber support over Europe relied on their human eyes.

[ronaldbrouhard]

Hub Zemke (commander of 56th) said he flew P-47s, P-38s, & P-51s, and when the altitude got to 30, 000 ft or more, which is what Kartvelli designed it for, the Thunderbolt was superior to all of them. Roll-rates were actually very snappy for such a big plane.

[Cuccos]

Not only the engine, but also the propeller played very important rule in performance. The paddle proplellers and "cuffed" propellers helped a lot for both aircrafts.

[marktuffield]

Congratulations on doing something that appears to be lacking on YT when discussing these two aircraft, being balanced and even handed! My only observation would be that quoting stats for aircraft that, as far as I am aware, did not see combat in the European Theatre i.e. P-51 H and P-47 N muddies the waters somewhat and I would argue is irrelevant to the discussion. Apart from that observation very well done 🙂.

[hughjass]

Just found this channel an hour ago and already, I'm binge watching it. Amazing content!

[DavidFMayerPhD]

I approve of your mention of the combat radii of the P-47 & P-51 with maximal drop tanks were almost the same, with the P-47 having a small but significant advantage.

[lookythat]

During 1943 and early 1944, it was the P-47 that did the work of attrition and grinding down of the Luftwaffe. It was the Thunderbolt that "broke the back" of the Nazi air arm.
The Jug was absolutely NOT an also-ran. It was essential to air victory in the West.

[rokuth]

Please note that the P-47D has a turbo-supercharger (these days called a turbocharger) much like the P-38. Because of this, its overall performance with the R2800 engine was superior to the Merlin with its 2 speed, 2 stage, intercooled supercharger in the P-51D. Changes in the propeller (going from a Curtis Electric to the paddle bladed Hamilton Standard) on the P-47D also aided in boosting its performance. The one thing to partially explain the discrepancy in the kill/loss ratios is that with the entry of the P-51B, C, and D Mustangs in the ETO, they took over the primary escort roles from the P-47D. The Thunderbolt was relegated to ground attack, which considerably reduced the opportunities for air to air combat with German fighters.
It also begs the question if the Kill/Loss ratio includes results from the Far East and the CBI front. Mustangs were being used in considerable numbers in the Pacific, to escort B-29 bombers. They were also roaming China as well. The P-47D too was involved in the Pacific, and the CBI theatre of war. Thunderbolts were replacing Hurricanes in India, taking over their ground attack roles as well.

[benvandermerwe]

Great journalism and professional production.

[TheBartowBoy]

Which aircraft supported the ground troops better and did more damage to the enemies ability to wage tactical ground warfare ? Hands down the P-47’s all models .

[flutter]

I would choose the P47 every time, more reliable machine